Helping youth live healthy lives with character: Assessing the effectiveness of a multifaceted program designed for the prevention of childhood obesity in Charlotte, North Carolina

Background: Programs designed to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors are important for childhood obesity prevention, particularly in states such as North Carolina where nearly one in three children is overweight or obese.  Cross-Country for Youth (CCFY) is a multifaceted program that combines cross-country training with nutrition and character education for the prevention of obesity among children aged 8-12 years.  In 2013, a community/academic partnership was developed between CCFY and the Johns Hopkins University, with funding from the Johnson & Johnson Community Healthcare Program, to add a nutrition education component to CCFY and enhance their capacity for program monitoring and evaluation.

Methods: CCFY and their academic partners created a conceptual framework that informed program goals, objectives, and indicators. The program was pilot tested during a formative phase within a small group of children. During this phase, assessment tools and a database were developed using EpiInfo 7.  The pilot program was followed by a 20-month implementation phase during which the program was expanded to include more children using revised educational materials and data collection tools. 

Results: A total of 81 children (51.9% male, 48.1% female) participated in the implementation phase. At baseline, 20.4% and 27.5% of children were overweight and obese, respectively and only 55% of the children had ever participated in a cross-country race. We expect follow-up data to show improvments in nutrition and physical activity knowledge and behaviors and nearly 100% cross-country race participation.

Conclusions: Academic partnerships can improve in-house capacity for program monitoring and evaluation and help build long-term sustainability.